Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Electron Transport Chain: Complex I and II01:46

Electron Transport Chain: Complex I and II

14.6K
The mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) is the main energy generation system in the eukaryotic cells. However, mitochondria also produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to the large electron flow during oxidative phosphorylation. While Complex I is one of the primary sources of superoxide radicals, ROS production by Complex II is uncommon and may only be observed in cancer cells with mutated complexes.
ROS generation is regulated and maintained at moderate levels necessary...
14.6K
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

7.7K
The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
7.7K
Cancer Therapies02:49

Cancer Therapies

7.8K
Cancer therapies are various modes of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy that are administered to cancer patients.
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
7.8K
Drugs that Stabilize Microtubules01:15

Drugs that Stabilize Microtubules

2.1K
Microtubules are dynamic structures that undergo cycles of catastrophe and rescue. The microtubules play a central role in cell division by forming the spindle apparatus for segregating the chromosomes. This makes them ideal targets for regulating dividing cells in tumors and malignant cancer cells. Microtubule stabilizing drugs help stabilize the microtubule formation and promote its polymerization. Paclitaxel was the first microtubule stabilizing agent used as anticancer drug in chemotherapy...
2.1K
Inhibition of Cdk Activity02:34

Inhibition of Cdk Activity

4.8K
The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...
4.8K
Redox Reactions01:24

Redox Reactions

55.8K
Oxidation-reduction or redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons from one molecule or atom to another. When an atom gains an electron, another atom must lose an electron, meaning oxidation and reduction must occur together. Since the redox occurs in pairs, the atom that gets oxidized is also called the reducing agent or reductant, and the atom that is reduced is also called the oxidizing agent or oxidant. A straightforward way to remember the definitions of oxidation and reduction is...
55.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Origin of the Volcano Trend in the ORR Activity of N-Doped Graphene Supported on Carbon Substrates: The Dominant Role of Work Function Differences.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids·2026
Same author

Age-dependent vascular and neurological characteristics of CADASIL are recapitulated in Notch3 mutant zebrafish, implicating a role for type IV collagen in disease progression.

Acta neuropathologica communications·2026
Same author

Ln<sub>3</sub>TCAS<sub>2</sub>-polyethyleneimine supramolecular nanogels: a platform for neutron capture therapy and complementary magnetic resonance imaging (Ln = lanthanide, TCAS = thiacalix[4]arene-<i>p</i>-tetrasulfonate).

Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003)·2026
Same author

Oxidized Phosphatidylcholines Regulate Secretory Phospholipase A<sub>2</sub> Through Membrane Nanodomain Remodeling.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)·2026
Same author

In Memoriam: Dr. Shoji Naruse (1945-2025).

Magnetic resonance imaging·2026
Same author

Exploratory Study of Serum IL-22 and CD163+ Macrophages in Glioblastoma Multiforme.

Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 30, 2025

An Automated Differential Nuclear Staining Assay for Accurate Determination of Mitocan Cytotoxicity
07:58

An Automated Differential Nuclear Staining Assay for Accurate Determination of Mitocan Cytotoxicity

Published on: May 12, 2020

7.0K

Redox-Cycling "Mitocans" as Effective New Developments in Anticancer Therapy.

Rumiana Bakalova1,2, Dessislava Lazarova2, Akira Sumiyoshi1

  • 1Department of Molecular Imaging and Theranostics, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), Chiba 263-8555, Japan.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|May 13, 2023
PubMed
Summary

This study introduces a novel pharmacological strategy using quinone/ascorbate (Q/A) redox-pairs to selectively target cancer cell mitochondria. These mitocans induce cancer cell death while sparing normal tissues, offering a promising new anticancer approach.

Keywords:
ascorbatecancermitochondriaoxidative stressprenylationquinonesredox-cycling

More Related Videos

Enhancement of Apoptotic and Autophagic Induction by a Novel Synthetic C-1 Analogue of 7-deoxypancratistatin in Human Breast Adenocarcinoma and Neuroblastoma Cells with Tamoxifen
19:44

Enhancement of Apoptotic and Autophagic Induction by a Novel Synthetic C-1 Analogue of 7-deoxypancratistatin in Human Breast Adenocarcinoma and Neuroblastoma Cells with Tamoxifen

Published on: May 30, 2012

18.7K
Sample Extraction and Simultaneous Chromatographic Quantitation of Doxorubicin and Mitomycin C Following Drug Combination Delivery in Nanoparticles to Tumor-bearing Mice
08:57

Sample Extraction and Simultaneous Chromatographic Quantitation of Doxorubicin and Mitomycin C Following Drug Combination Delivery in Nanoparticles to Tumor-bearing Mice

Published on: October 5, 2017

11.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 30, 2025

An Automated Differential Nuclear Staining Assay for Accurate Determination of Mitocan Cytotoxicity
07:58

An Automated Differential Nuclear Staining Assay for Accurate Determination of Mitocan Cytotoxicity

Published on: May 12, 2020

7.0K
Enhancement of Apoptotic and Autophagic Induction by a Novel Synthetic C-1 Analogue of 7-deoxypancratistatin in Human Breast Adenocarcinoma and Neuroblastoma Cells with Tamoxifen
19:44

Enhancement of Apoptotic and Autophagic Induction by a Novel Synthetic C-1 Analogue of 7-deoxypancratistatin in Human Breast Adenocarcinoma and Neuroblastoma Cells with Tamoxifen

Published on: May 30, 2012

18.7K
Sample Extraction and Simultaneous Chromatographic Quantitation of Doxorubicin and Mitomycin C Following Drug Combination Delivery in Nanoparticles to Tumor-bearing Mice
08:57

Sample Extraction and Simultaneous Chromatographic Quantitation of Doxorubicin and Mitomycin C Following Drug Combination Delivery in Nanoparticles to Tumor-bearing Mice

Published on: October 5, 2017

11.0K

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Pharmacology
  • Mitochondrial Biology

Background:

  • Cancer cells exhibit altered metabolism and redox balance.
  • Mitochondria are key targets for cancer therapy due to their central role in energy production and redox homeostasis.
  • Existing cancer therapies often cause significant side effects due to lack of specificity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of redox-cycling quinone/ascorbate (Q/A) pairs as targeted anticancer agents.
  • To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Q/A redox-pairs in vitro and in vivo.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the selective toxicity of Q/A pairs towards cancer cells.

Main Methods:

  • Screening of eleven Q/A redox-pairs in cultured cancer cells and tumor-bearing mice.
  • Assessment of cell proliferation, viability, mitochondrial superoxide production, ATP levels, and tissue redox state.
  • Analysis of tumor-associated NADH oxidase (tNOX) expression, tumor growth, and animal survival.

Main Results:

  • Unprenylated Q/A redox-pairs demonstrated potent dose-dependent antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects on cancer cells.
  • Cancer cells treated with Q/A pairs showed increased mitochondrial superoxide and rapid ATP depletion.
  • Normal cells exhibited preserved viability and energy homeostasis, with only mild, well-tolerated mitochondrial oxidative stress.
  • Benzoquinone/ascorbate pairs were more effective than naphthoquinone/ascorbate, with coenzyme Q0/ascorbate showing the strongest anticancer activity.
  • Mechanisms include cancer-specific downregulation of quinone prenylation, accelerated Q/A redox-cycling in impaired cancer mitochondria, and tNOX downregulation.

Conclusions:

  • Redox-cycling Q/A pairs, particularly unprenylated forms like coenzyme Q0/ascorbate, represent a targeted pharmacological strategy against cancer.
  • The selective toxicity is driven by the redox imbalance in cancer cell mitochondria, leading to amplified oxidative stress and energy crisis.
  • This approach offers a promising therapeutic window with minimal adverse effects on normal cells and tissues.